BearLeek

BearLeek definitely exceeded my expectations! I had seen some reviews and hype online, but it's hard to know these days if it's just trendy or actually good food. I went for an early birthday dinner with some friends and did a bunch of shared plates. The all day Monday happy hour was a pleasant surprise and we all enjoyed our drinks. One friend is totally GF and we were able to still find plenty of options to share which was nice. The brisket skewers were incredible as was the Happy Hour cabbage. I enjoyed the meal so much I returned on my actual birthday with my partner and family to introduce them and selfishly so I could try the items that do have gluten in them. Both times we've had an error with ordering but our server was quick to correct the mistakes. It's a smidge loud being a windowless basement so it's fair that there may be some occasional miscommunications, and I do not mind that at all when service is friendly with correcting the mistake. I ordered the Potato Middie both times and realized it had switched from a scallop like pate to a rosti. While the rosti was good, the 'scallops' were better in my opinion. The server explained that it was for making sure it was standardized and high quality every time because the original had been more difficult to assure high quality with (I think this was the gist of it) which is fair. I like that the staff regularly wipes down the table. I had to try the Bear Pop for dessert because it's so weird and unique and I loved it both times! It's been a while since I've been to a new restaurant that feels actually new and different without sacrificing the food quality. I'll definitely be back. Thanks for 2 great birthday dinners BearLeek!

The food here is fabulous!! Got to try so many things tonight with my friends. Definitely a weird experience first walking in as we were told we would have to leave our table within an hour because we didn’t make reservations and they were pretty stern about it (the hostess) But we ended up having another hour at the table. I wish I wasn’t so stressed about timing though! I would’ve been able to enjoy my meal more but oh well.. Here are my thoughts: I would absolutely go back and get everything again except the Tres leches And cabbage. Not that they werent good but everything else was exceptional ! You have to get the burger, mushrooms, bread & butter, and French onion tartlet. I am literally going to dream about the French onion tartlet tonight. The brisket skewer & potato rosti were also super delicious.

What I really appreciated about Bear Leek was that the staff had a deep love of food and service without any pretentiousness. The quality of the hospitality was exceptional and the food quite good. I had the sense that the whole team was industry professionals running a restaurant in a way that they would want it run. I had questions and concerns about a black garlic old fashioned which I thought would ruin the nuance of the drink, but the bartender assured me otherwise. The old fashioned had nuance and was reasonably good. The bar menu had the best value to price options. The eggplant pakoras, tomato dish and the beef skewers were well done. We also had the radishes, halibut Ratatouille, milk, bread and butter. Every dish was well presented and well cooked. For dessert, we had the lemon poppy cake which was a bit dry but passable. The ambiance is hip but dark in a basement with black walls. It was well attended and seemed like many young people out on date night. For a Tuesday night, it was bustling. Overall, thoroughly enjoyable and we will return again.

The dinner started strong with their homemade brioche that were some of the best we’ve ever had. I’m Polish so their version of pierogi was a bit offensive. The dough was way too thick and heavy, and the filling too dense. They should be taken off the menu until the kitchen figures out how to make them correctly, or just don’t call that dish pierogi. The fried chicken was very tasty but their lamb was the star of the show! The meat was literally falling off the bone. Overall we had a tasty dinner and even though there is room for improvement I’m looking forward to trying their other dishes.

Small, but mighty is how I've viewed this place since I saw the menu online. I'm glad to see a good restaurant take over the unique space that Osaka Ramen left behind. They did a great job utilizing the layout so the tables didn't feel claustrophobic, although the bathroom hallway does feel like a liminal space. The lighting is cozy without needing a flashlight to read the menus. Happy hour all night Mondays is a great deal on a day where so many places are closed. We got the beef skewers, mushrooms, and cabbage from the happy hour; all 3 ended up being delicious, especially the tenderness of the beef. The burger for $16 looked amazing at a neighboring table and would be a hefty little meal on its own. The milk bread and bear butter were both delicious and fluffy. The tartare had a tasty creme on top and the house chips were a good vessel. The pierogis were a new fall dish on the menu and utilized the squash well. They also had a squash cocktail that was creamy and just the perfect amount of sweet. The chicken had a great crust that was very satisfying to chew and the meat was deliciously tender. We finished with the panna cotta and bear ice cream bar, both good palate cleansing choices. The panna cotta had a thick creaminess to it that felt like a fun take on the original. The bear ice cream bar was a nice salty-sweet, fruity-savory combo. They also do a seasonal limoncello that pairs well with dessert. We got 6 drinks in total, and all 3 of us were full by the end for about $75 per person after tip. We felt it was worth the price and enjoyed the experience.

Our group of nine had dinner here last night, and everything—from the food to the service—was incredible. The pre-fixe menu was a great value for the quality and creativity of each dish. We enjoyed standout plates like the sweetbreads with Fresno plum sauce and blue cheese, tartare with coconut “Leche de Oso” and Mayu chili oil, burrata with BearLeek chili crunch, hamachi crudo with ajo blanco and pickled peaches, beets with labneh and za’taar vinaigrette, pierogi with squash velouté, grilled cabbage with koji breadcrumbs, lamb shank with parsnip and pita, and fried chicken with orange beurre blanc and green Sichuan oil. Dessert was a showstopper too: a big Bear popsicle, panna cotta, and tres leches. Huge thanks to Andrew for the outstanding service and to Carlos for helping us pick the perfect wine. BearLeek is a must-visit in RiNo, with inventive dishes, great vibes, and true hospitality all around.

Had a 7:45 reservation, showed up at 7:40 as to avoid being late per email directions when we made the reservation, and wasn’t seated until 8:10 despite numerous warnings that the seatings are timed. Hardly a good start to what would be a lousy birthday dinner. No acknowledgement of my birthday was made despite notes in the booking reservation. Gave us one half glass of bubbly for having to wait over 25 minutes for our table (as they sat three other groups ahead of us that had later reservations at 8:00….). Limited menu was fine but definitely overpriced for the quality. There were 5 chefs running around a small kitchen like madmen but literally no food coming out… the chicken was “fried” but barely baked — the breading was literally still flour white. No birthday dessert or apology for the long wait to be seated. The couple next to us got a steak and sent it back because it came out cold, they flashed it - microwaved it and sent it back still lukewarm to the couple, on a $70 steak. NOT WORTH THE MONEY. Lousy management and mid food.

I had the sweetbreads which were fried nicely and the sauce they come with was great. I also had the French Onion Tart that was very rich in flavor and I enjoyed the presentation of it. I finished off my meal with the tres leches cake which was also pretty good. I would love to come back soon and try more of the menu.